Introduction
Mariangela Celeste is of Italian-Greek origin, while growing up in
Germany in an artistic environment, and has lived in England and the US for a
while. She is a singer and composer who had her first success in her very early
teens when she recorded her first album in England with Vangelis Papathanassiou
as her producer. The album is simply called Mariangela.
Throughout the years she has appeared in several international song festivals
with her own compositions and recorded also the Greek album "Zahari"
(Lyra 4690) in 1993-94. Although always active as an artist, besides singing and
writing songs she is also a meditation teacher (Lama) of Tibetan Buddhism.
I Shall Return
After many years of preparation, recording and production,
Mariangela presented her new album "I Shall Return" in 2006. The album is
sung in English and Tibetan language, as it is inspired by the beautiful love
poems of the sixth Dalai Lama who lived
in the 17th century and was betrayed and killed at a very early age after
prophesising his own death and rebirth in a place called Lithang.
The outcome are seventeen songs
which are a wonderful mixture of pop, ethnic and new age music that makes the
whole album combined with her outstanding and enchanting voice a pleasant
surprising and reviving experience to the listener. All music is written, sung
and orchestrated by Mariangela Celeste. Her music is an attempt to bring these
beautiful songs to the heart of our western world.
Tsangyang Gyamtso (1683-1706)
as enthroned as the Sixth Dalai Lama on the golden throne in the Potala palace
of Lhasa , Tibet in 1697, was a special Dalai Lama. Born in a renowned family of
the yogic Njigmapa tradition and brought up at a late age in the conservative
Gelugpa tradition, Tsangyang Gyamtso proved to be an uncomfortable blend of the
two. But, leaving aside the unfortunate politics that surrounded his desolate
life, Tsayang Gyamtso brought to holy Lhasa and Shol taverns some of the purest
and most beautiful lyrics of all times.
Besides being a great yogi he was also extraordinary as a lover of wine and
women, melodious as a writer and singer of love songs, tragic as a national hero
of the status of a Dalai Lama, and a heroic pawn at the hands of the Qosot
Lhazang Khan, he became a legend within his short lifetime. Worshipped and loved
by Tibetan people with stainless faith, Tsayang Gyamtso's songs became famous in
every corner of Tibet , reviving once again the fascination of simple folk
poetry which has endured up until this very day.
May our minds be filled with joy and wisdom!
Movements
